Articles

Pakistan

On August 14th, 1947, by the stroke of a pen, Great Britain relinquished power over its greatest colonial possession, Imperial India. Two big new countries Pakistan and India were born.

In population, Pakistan ranked highamoung the nations of the world, though it is much smaller than its neighbour India The country consisted of two separate blocks of Asian territory, East Pakistan and West Pakistan. Dramatic contrast in language and customs separate the two provinces but they were bound together by a common faith -- the religion of Islam.

East Pakistan broke away and it became a separate country of Bangladesh in December 1971, after a war.

Pakistan is a land of beauty and varied scenery. Even though Pakistan has thriving big cities, the country is still primarily rural. The people also range in type from cosmopolitan city dwellers to a proud Pathan tribesmen, who guard the Khyber Pass region.

The area of Pakistan is almost 803 943 sq km. It’s population is 83 780 000 according to the 1981 census. Its capital is Islamabad, near Rawalpindi, in west Punjab State. The largest cities of Pakistan are Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi. Its official language is Urdu. The country’s official name is now the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Its religion is Islam. Rupee is the currency of the country. The main exports are cotton and cotton goods, rice, carpets and rugs.

In the Indus valley an important civilization grew up between about 2500 and 1500 B.C. It had large well planned cities such as Mohenjo Daro. This city’s ruins and those of Harappa were discovered in 1921. The Indus valley later became under the Persian Empire. The first Muslims to arrive were Arabs in the Toos Ac. Pakistan and India became part of muslim Mughal empire in the 1500 AC. Pakistan has several languages. Only 1 in 12 people speak the official language of Urdu. Other languages include Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, and Balochi.

Pakistan has hot summers but winters can be cold, especially in the north. The Pakistanis play hockey, cricket, tennis, polo and soccer. The Pakistan hockey team is one of the world’s best.

Pakistan is a country of great differences and rapid change. The living standards of the people are steadily rising.